Exemplary embodiments herein generally relate to a push button mechanism for opening and closing a storage compartment or closure, such as a glovebox, in a vehicle.
A variety of opening and closing mechanisms for a vehicle storage compartment or glovebox are known. In one known arrangement, the opening and closing mechanism is located in a cutout of the glovebox door, located on an outer surface of the door, or mounted on an instrument panel or dashboard or other like vehicle structure. Sometimes an electric lock is included. A typical known mechanism includes a latch mounted to either the glovebox door or the dashboard, a push button mounted to the other one of the door or the dashboard, a rack bar connected to the push button and extending inward, a pinion engaged with the rack bar, and a link having a rack gear engaged with the pinion. The link is movable to lock and unlock the latch. Because the known design typically includes the latch, which is unlocked through the rack and pinion mechanism, the mechanism has complicated structures and, in certain instances, is not effective.